For 23rd time in row, percussionists to play

By Tamara McClaranShorelines correspondent,

Music professor Charlotte Mabrey will present her 23rd annual percussion concert at the University of North Florida. Special

For 22 years, University of North Florida professor Charlotte Mabrey has offered an annual recital to provide audiences with fresh and often experimental pieces of percussion music while challenging herself as a musician and an artist. It looks as if this year's An Evening of 20th Century Music is on track to accomplish both.

Mabrey, who has a long and distinguished percussion resume, performs with several of her UNF students in this year's show. Mabrey says a drum set duet, Spring, with UNF student Dan Johnson, is challenging their traditional teacher-student relationship.

"He is a whole lot better than me," Mabrey said. "It is a great experience for both of us. It puts me on the learning curve. It's very cool to be taught by one of my students. Just because you're the teacher, you're not always the best."

Mabrey says the same is true in the Marimba Quartet, a work performed at her annual recital a few years ago.

"It is truly one of the most joyous pieces of music," Mabrey said. "However, I'm consumed with my part and struggling to get it up to tempo. Again, the whole relationship is turned on its ear."

Relationship themes set the tone for this year's concert. Every concert has followed a unique theme. Mabrey hopes this year's show reflects the emotional impact that relationships have on our lives. "It's universal. Every one of us has this real human condition we grapple with."

Each year, Mabrey's program features a marimba solo. She says this year's piece, From the Edge of the Frame, describes the challenges of coping with the unexpected changes daily life brings.

"Life gets frenzied, and you're barely hanging on," she said. "You're out of focus. That's what this feels like."

This piece of music has personal meaning to Mabrey and the other performers as they mourned the unexpected deaths of a professor and a student in the UNF Music Department this year. While some years the concert features a lot of solo performances, Mabrey says most of this year's show was designed to bring the performers together. Making music has helped them heal.

If you go

University of North Florida percussionist Charlotte Mabrey will present An Evening of 20th Century Music at 8 p.m. Saturdayin the UNF Lazzara Theater. Tickets are $10 and benefit the UNF percussion scholarship program. The first 300 audience members to arrive will receive a gift. The Lazzara Performance Hall is at 4576 St. Johns Bluff Road S. For tickets, call the UNF ticket office at 620-1895.

"This year, we weathered the storm together," Mabrey said. "We took care of each other and worked on music together."

As in past years, this year's concert includes a performance art piece with Robert Arleigh White, director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. No Warning, No Reason also explores relationships.

"It's four separate poems that delve into the pain and speak about relationships," Mabrey said. "In the end, it wishes the person well. It's beautiful and very powerful. Everyone has had at least one experience like that."

On a lighter note, Mabrey intends to open the show with an animated film and conclude with an air drum piece featuring the eight-member UNF percussion ensemble, each performing as a different drum. Rockin' Richie Rocket won't have any musical instruments other than the performers and their voices.

"They will vocally make the drum sounds, and I'll move my arms in sync with what they are saying," Mabrey said.

Mabrey has announced that she intends for No. 25 to mark the end of these annual concerts.

"I think people don't believe it," she said. "I just have to put a time line to it. It'll be difficult; however, I don't want to be up there when it goes sour."

Mabrey hasn't ruled out looking for other outlets to perform or a different form or venue for the recital.

Admission to this year's show is $10 raises money for UNF percussion scholarships.

"People spend $10 on two cups of coffee," Mabrey said. "I'm hoping they are willing to spend that on a ticket since everything goes to the scholarships."